The city of the potatoes: unmissable corners and medieval stories between walls and a famous bridge

> La Nacion> Magazine places April 21, 202509: 027 minutes of reading the Palace of the Popes there are very beautiful terraces and gardens. Jade Sívori “They did not sing on the bridge, but underneath,” Delphine Peteux tells me when I ask about the popular childhood song. “South Le Pont d'Avignon / Onse, Onse and DanS Sous (“below”) said instead of southern (“on”), but that at some point changed. We had just entered Avignon, “the city of the potatoes”, but the bridge intrigues me more. At the Gare de Lyon station in Paris, we took the TGV (high -speed train), which left us, in just over two hours, in Avignon. We removed the rental car and went to the historic center of this medieval city. We park without problems in the Parking of the Papas Palacethanks to the indications of Laurelline Lucas, of the Tourism Office. We walk with the suitcases for the cobblestones – Powers! – to the Hôtel de l'Otloge, which is very well located. The Petit Palais is an imperdible museum of sacred art. Jade Sívoriavignon – his historical center, in rigor – he has the palace of the potatoes as an epicenter, but there is also the place of l'Orloge (“of the clock”), With the City Council (formerly Hôtel de Ville), the Palace of La Moneda and the Opera, exceptionally for free access for the European Heritage Conference, and we take the opportunity to strain in the Nabucco Opera trial, by Giuseppe Verdi. It doesn't give us time for more theaters, but The city has 350 rooms with between 10 and 1,000 seats. In addition, every year they organize a great theater festival that actor Jean Vilar created in 1947. It is itinerant in the Papas Palace. Jade Sívoriel Main Altar of the Notre Dame des Doms.Jade Sas Sivorien the Provence region, in the department of Vaucluse, Avignon has 92,000 inhabitants, of which 15,000 live among the walls. One million visitors arrive at this city per year. You can see the presence of older people, perhaps because of how easy and accessible it is to move. The street of the Republic is central and there are also many pedestrian – not all, even if they seem – which are intertwined and very beautiful. There are positions with cheap food (wraps for 3 euros, for example), offer of balances (from sneakers to sheets), large stores (such as H&M) and souvenir businesses (they sell from soaps to linos). Some posters are written in Provencal, a dialect that just began to be used in the nineteenth century thanks to Federico Mistral.The cathedral Notre Dame des Doms began to be built in 1100.Jade Sívoriavignon is a cheerful city and linked to art.Jade Sívori Why is the city of the potatoes? Delphine summarizes: “During the civil wars in Rome, at the beginning of the fourteenth century, the Catholic Church chose a French Pope, Clemente V. They wanted to improve the link with Felipe el Hermos Clemente V died, the conclave chose a new French Pope, John XXII, who stayed in Avignon. That is why a schism was unleashed and for 40 years there were two vses of the papacy. That is to say that this city had nine popes in 115 years. The first seven officers and the last two (Clemente VII and Benedict XII) unofficial. ”The charm is in the streets of Avignon.Jade Sívoricon only to enter the Palace of the Popes I understand such a scandal. Imposing, imposing. It began to be built in 1335 and is located over 15,000 square meters. It is a very medieval construction, with few windows and many bells, towers, galleries and arches. We make the tour with a tablet that explains each space. Everything is so big and huge that at times I get lost. I impact the narrow corridors, stained glass windows, carved stone, frescoes and married ceilings, as well as finding out how the potatoes lived, followed the dogmas and directed the destinations – spiritual, political and financial – of the world in the Middle Ages. The Avignon theater summons crowds. a. Jardin du Rocher des doms, who is next to cathedral notre Dame des doms, that dates from 1100. From the garden, which is high, we see the wall that since the fourteenth century surrounds the historic center of Avignon. It has 35 towers and 24 doors. We also see the Pont Saint-Bénézet, which for us will always be the Avignon bridge, and ends in the middle of the river. Of the 22 arches that originally had, there are only four left. Raised in the twelfth century, the river took it, they rebuilt it several times, and thus look from the seventeenth. Seeing it from above multiply my desire to walk it, and there we are going. The Palace of the Pope Petit Palais, which is a very nice museum of sacred and Renaissance art, With many virgins, a lot of gold and jewels of artists such as Sandro Botticelli. Once in front of the Avignon bridge, there are posters and models that tell its history. Walking to the end, leaves me in the middle of the Rhone. Caudaloso and triumphal, I understand that it has been (and remains) central to Europe.Air France. It operates seven weekly flights between Paris and Buenos Aires in a Boeing 787 Dreamliner with more spacious windows than in the oldest and wifi models throughout the trip. For Premium and-as well as Business and La Première clients-it has SkyPriority (priority for check-in, procedures and shipping). From US $ 1,200 round trip in Economy.Inoui TGV. Modern trains – with plug, USB loader, wifi–, restaurant, adjustable seats and good space for luggage save. They are at a speed of 300 km per hour. There are many frequencies. From € 50 per route.Avignon Tourisme. It offers very good information through the web. They have direct sale of Avignon City Pass, to access museums. It is essential to have tickets taken before the trip. Monday to Saturday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Domingo Closed, except on vacation, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. 41 Cours Jean Jaurés. T: +33 (432) 743274.Hotel de l 'Horloge. In front of the Place de L'Otloge, in the center of Avignon, the location is privileged. Receive in 66 rooms that take advantage of the space. The attention is very friendly. He has elevator, but there are rooms to which he is accessed only by staircase. Full breakfast. From € 90 the double with breakfast. 1-3 Rue Félicien David. T: +33 (4) 9016-4200. IG: @Hotelogevignonel Hotel de LLe Carré Du Palais. With view of the Palais des Papes, he opened in 2018 and has great cava. Elegant, among the richest proposals of the menu is the tomato gazpacho, the vegetable risotto and the Gourmand coffee. From 12 to 22. 1 Place du Palais des Papes. T: +33 (4) 6500-0101.Vintage. Provencal kitchen in a relaxed living room, with terrace and tables on the sidewalk. They have a good fixed menu: entrance, main course, dessert and a glass of wine. Every day, from 12 to 14 and from 19 to 22. 10 Rue Galante. T: +33 (4) 8665-4854.